Their Objective
by hid4n
Summary: Kisame and Itachi are sent on a mission to collect intel on the remaining tailed beasts.
1. Chapter 1: His Decisions

**Their Objective**

**Note:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

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**Chapter One  
His Decisions**

The path leading to the Land of Fire was a long one that wound through forests and other small, individual villages. Most of the villages were under-developed and small, consisting of one or two different clans that worked together to make their existance successful. Many nomads travelled through these villages and the villagers came to accept it and welcome the wanderers to their villages. This was a fact Kisame and Itachi were finding out first-hand.

The two had been sent on a mission to gather intel about the remaining tailed beasts. Their Leader made them understand the importance of this mission, and made it clear that it was necessary for the Akatsuki to succeed in gathering information on the needed tailed beasts. Pein never revealed the true reason as to why they needed them; Kisame just went with it, regardless of the Leader's reasons. That was just how the man did things.

Kisame cleared his throat and turned to the Uchiha walking silently beside him. His eyes gazed ahead stoically with onyx irises. Kisame found it fascinating how his eyes changed from ashen to bloody crimson when he activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. The Uchiha had exceptional optical power, possibly being the reason Pein had recruited the mysterious, raven-haired man. What he did in his own, personal time was definitely that of his own. Kisame had been his partner since the Uchiha had joined the organization, but he never found himself prying into Itachi's privacy. Likewise, Itachi kept to himself and never let his interest touch down upon anyone's personal lives, especially Kisame's.

Despite the horrible bonds that most of the Akatsuki 2-man cell groups shared, Kisame respected Itachi and was extremely loyal to him. He asked for Itachi's permission before he attacked enemies, knowing the Uchiha didn't like to fight unless necessary. Kisame was very respectful to him, calling his partner "Itachi-san". Even though Kisame had had exceptional strength, intellegence, and the ability to assess enemy's basic technique within moments of engaging in battle, he acknowledged Itachi as the stronger of the duo. He got along with Itachi but never really found himself around the Uchiha outside of missions. When they were on missions, Itachi spoke rarely, even when Kisame found a subject to somewhat pique the Sharingan-user's interest. The taller Akatsuki member had a tendacy to jeer at his companion but soon left him alone after feeling the irritation coming from Itachi.

One thing that Kisame did find peculiar about the Uchiha was the lack of sexual interest in women. Being such a handsome guy, Kisame was surprised Itachi had never brought home women. He couldn't have snuck the women in after night, because Kisame shared the room with his partner and he was a light sleeper. Kisame would have known if Itachi was having sex with anyone, and he wasn't. Even Kisame found himself masturbating in his room every now and again. Itachi, on the other hand...

Itachi Uchiha looked up at his partner with a blank stare a few moments after Kisame had cleared his throat. The raven-haired man blinked almost boredly before muttering a "Hn," and looking foreward again. _He obviously doesn't mind silence, _grumbled Kisame to himself.

"Hello there!" Yelled a voice a little farther up the path. Both pairs of eyes trailed up to assess the body the voice had came from. "Welcome to our village, Sujimoto." The man called again. Kisame squinted his eyes, trying to make out the facial features. He could tell it was a man from his voice and the scruff around his jawline, but that was about all that Kisame could see. They were still a while off from the village, but the villagers must have spotted the two and ran to welcome them. Kisame looked to Itachi, realizing that the Uchiha wasn't going to speak for the two of them.

"Hello..." Kisame started slowly, making his way closer. "Could we please rent a room for the night? We have been traveling all day and are very tired." The villager grinned and nodded eagerly. He waited a moment, letting the pair get closer to the village entrance, before turning and disappearing past the gates. Itachi grunted a "Hn," and followed behind the man, leaving Kisame outside for a moment. The blue-skinned man blinked a few times after his partner.

"Itachi-san! W-Wait up!" Kisame called, waving. He started jogging and felt Samehada thump heavily against his back. The sword was quiet, not sensing any powerful chakra for miles besides it's master's and Itachi's. For whatever reason, Samehada stayed away from Itachi. Kisame always assumed the sword had just not liked the feel of the Uchiha's dark chakra. The Shinobi couldn't blame his weapon, Itachi was a scary guy to mess with.

"It's not like I'd ever mess with him," sneered Kisame under his breath as he caught up to his partner.

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The room the duo was staying in was small but had a very nice feel to it. The floor was carpeted in a beige color and the walls were also a light shade. There was a single bed, tidily made, that faced the opposite wall where the tv sat on a dresser. Against another wall was a beige couch. Across from said couch was a window that over looked the lake the town sat on. The water shimmered and danced in the blue man's eyes, calling his attention and dominating it. Kisame watched the water dance for a little while before he turned to assess the room again. He grimaced at the thought of taking the couch rather than the bed, but he knew he would offer so Itachi wouldn't have to take it.

"Itachi-san, how do you like our room?" Kisame said, grinning from ear to ear. He didn't expect an elaborate response from the Uchiha but didn't mind a short "thank you", but Itachi didn't even give his partner that. The Sharingan-user glanced around, stopping to look at the single bed. His eyes squinted as he turned to look at the couch.

"There's only one bed," He stated, as if Kisame hadn't already noticed. "I'll take the couch." Itachi said before making his way inside the bathroom, closing and locking the door. Kisame blinked after his partner and cocked his head in confusion. Why had Itachi offered to take the uncomfortable couch instead of the bed? Kisame would have willingly offered to sleep on it if Itachi had just given him the second to speak. Kisame scowled and set his things down against the wall, wondering what could have made Itachi offer to take the couch. He had no idea, unfortunately.

"`tachi..." Kisame muttered under his breath as he walked over to the tv, turning it on and setting the volume on a low setting. He postioned himself at the edge of the bed, and flued his eyes to the program that was shiftin before his eyes. He didn't really mind what he watched - the point was to distract himself from whatever was bothering him, and that's what it did. Kisame wasn't sure how much time had passed by when Itachi finally came out of the bathroom, looking tired. The Uchiha's ponytail looked retied and less sloppy than it had after their long journey, and any dirt that had fell on his face was now washed off.

Itachi walked over to the end of the couch and set up his things for the night. He placed a pillow at the end away from the wall, and set a thin blanket across the length of the couch. Soon, after adjusting things to his liking, he turned toward Kisame and sat down gently, also perched on the edge of the furniture.

"Kisame?" Kisame shook his read and yanked his attention away from the tv for a moment to look at his black-haired partner. "The bathroom is open." Itachi said simply, before laying down and stretching, covering his lithe body from view with his thin blanket. He was still in his cloak, but had a new pair of clothes on. Kisame assumed the Uchiha wanted some privacy before he stripped himself of his cloak in the main room. He stood, nodding subtly, and made his way over to the bathroom. He wanted to take a long and hot shower. Itachi always showered first so Kisame could use the rest of the hot water after his partner was finished washing his body.

Kisame closed the door behind him and locked it. Hardly before the door was locked, Kisame was stripping from his clothes, enjoying the feeling of his skin against the air. It was cold, and goosebumps rise across his blue skin. Reaching out to turn on the water, to let it warm up, Kisame glanced in the mirror at his naked torso. He was extremely muscular. He had to be, to carry around Samehada all the time like he did. Along his sides, markings that resembled gills were doted upon his blue skin. Kisame turned away from the shower to step closer to the mirror, taking in a deep breath. He watched as his chest rose, making him look even bigger than he was. He let the air escape from his lungs and watched as his chest lowered and his shoulders dropped.

Kisame found himself assessing his anatomy often, usually whenever he had the time to stop and look in the mirror. He admired his muscular stature and found himself an attractive male, although he never really found a woman to settle down with. How could he? He was half shark. His teeth were sharp and short, a trait that he shared with his fellow swordsmen. His eyes were small and his face was litered with more dark markings that resembled shark features. The man raised his hands and looked at them in the mirror. They looked human. Once Kisame was satisfied, he reached up and took his headband off, letting a few strands of his hair fall. The majority of his hair stayed upright, though, due to it always being styled that way.

The man reached up and touched his hair. It wasn't soft. It was almost rough to his sensitive fingertips. He always had hair that wasn't soft to the touch, but he never really thought anything of it. Nobody ever touched his hair other than himself, so why did it matter? It didn't. His hands lowered to his neck and slid down over his chest. He could feel his taunt muscles, tense from a day of walking, moving slightly under his thick skin. The Akatsuki member would never diss his thick skin. It made injuries less common and he always felt as if he healed faster with his strong skin.

Curious hands that belonged to himself lowered to his hips, and he slowly took off his standard black Shinobi pants. He was left staring at himself in only his black boxers. His fingers lingered at the opening of his boxers before he hooked the tips of his index fingers in the waistband of the underwear. He slowly eased the soft fabric off, letting it rub against his private area before discarding it. Kisame looked at his naked self in the mirror for a moment before he turned back to the shower. The water was now running hot.

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_A/N: What did you all think? I thought of the idea for an adventure fic with Kisame at school but I'm not too sure. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm kind of dreading writing any fight scenes, especially with Itachi's Sharingan. Review, please. c:_


	2. Chapter 2: His Thoughts

**Chapter Two**  
**His Thoughts**

Kisame reached out to test the temperature of the running water, jerking back when the warmth scalded his skin. He adjusted the knobs below the shower head and waited a moment before testing the water again, relieved that it was close enough now. The 6'3" Akatsuki member ducked his head as he entered the shower, aware of the pole that supported the shower curtain and how low it was compared to his height. He turned and shifted the curtain around to cover his naked body from any eyes the wouldn't be wandering into the bathroom. Once Kisame was comfortable with everything around him, he turned to face the water and let it pelt his face and run down his hard body. His muscles tensed at the sudden warmth but slowly, they relaxed and the blue-skinned man found himself getting slightly sleepy. He swallowed and turned away from the shower head, dipping his head as to allow the water to carress his hair and scalp.

Reaching up to run his long fingers through his hair, Kisame gave a content sigh. He loved the water. It was one of the few places he really felt at home. He loved to swim, but even a shower could warm his spirits more than sake could. He knew Itachi was aware of his affection for water, and that was why he let Kisame dominate the bathroom after the black-haired Shinobi was finished. Kisame reached down and grabbed the small bottle of shampoo and flipped the cap open, hastily squirting some of the pale white liquid into his hands. The shark-man grinned slightly to show his short, pointed teeth as he slowly washed his hair, massaging his scalp and feeling the suds from the cheap shampoo run down his muscular body. Soon, his hands left his clean hair and ran down his body, rubbing and cleaning it with the excess shampoo that left his hair. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall that he thought was closer than it was in reality. He stumbled and caught himself with his forearms, sighing his relief. He was glad Itachi didn't have to find his body in the bathroom, dead from a cracked skull.

Now safe from falling to his death, Kisame leaned his head back and groaned as he massaged his sore muscles, starting at his forearms. He hadn't really done any exercise that was strenuous over the past week but he hadn't been sleeping very comfortably, and for whatever reason, just walking was tiring the man out a strange amount. That was all he and Itachi had done for the past few days - they had walked endlessly. Kisame didn't mind it, but it was much more boring than fighting. He loved fighting, but he was rarely ever allowed to fight, being partnered with Itachi. Kisame raised his arms over his head and folded them in front of his face in an action of pure exhaustion. Was he just mentally tired? No, his muscles were aching too, he remember painfully as he felt a strained muscle in his shoulder whine at being used in such a way. _This is dumb..._ Kisame thought, now rubbing his face with his hands. He was now ignoring the shower and whatever comfort it could give to him. He didn't want the comfort any more.

Kisame couldn't care less to turn the water off as he stepped out of the shower onto the beige shower mat. He looked down at his toes and wiggled them for a second before looking up and turning his head to the right where the mirror hovered over the sinks. The blue-tinted man took a step forward and touched his fingers to the mirror, watching as steam came off his hot body and made contact with the cool material of the mirror. _What do I do now?_ Kisame thought, feeling very lost momentarily. He swiped his hand over the mirror where the steam had accumulated and assessed himself in the mirror that was beginning to fog over again. He touched his abs and ran his fingers down his torso slowly, letting himself shiver at the feel of such a light touch. His fingers stopped at his navel. Kisame took his hand away from his toned body and turned back to the shower, debating whether he wanted to use the rest of the hot water or if he just wanted to get dressed and go lay down. Both were extremely enticing.

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After debating for about five minutes, Kisame decided he was going to quickly finish up in the shower and get dressed. After he turned off the water, Kisame looked around for a fresh pair of clothes. _Really? Did I really forget to bring some clothes in here?_ Kisame grunted to himself, knowing he'd have to wrap himself in a towel and grab some clothes from outside the door. He wouldn't have minded it, but anywhere other than the steamy bathroom was freezing to his skin. He sighed, knowing it was inevitable if he wanted to ever leave and sleep, and took a step toward the door. His right arm reached out and his fingers brushed the cold door knob gently before he gripped it and turned the knob, pushing on the door at the same time. The blue-skinned man poked his big head out, around the corner of the door, and blinked to adjust his eyes to the darker part of the hotel room.

Itachi was slumped on the couch, his cloak now removed and his chest bare to the air. Kisame grinned as he saw his partner twitch in his less-than-peaceful sleep, possibly having a nightmare. The black haired man was wrapped in his thin blanket enough so you couldn't tell if he had pants on but Kisame was sure he had at least a pair of boxers. The Uchiha still wore his necklace - something of importance, Kisame assumed - around his neck loosely. Everytime the dozing man twitched or shifted in his sleep, the necklace changed positions and contorted itself around the man's slim neck. Kisame blinked a few more times before he reached out and grabbed his pack from it's leaning position next to the door. He quickly dragged the bag into the bathroom and slid his head back inside.

Kisame closed the door quietly behind him as to not wake his partner. He reached out and unzipped his pack, rummaging through it to find a decent pair of sleeping clothes. After a few minutes of antagonizing decisions, he decided on a comfortable pair of cotton shorts that were just a little bit longer than the boxers he decided to wear underneath. The amphibious creature debated going shirtless but ended up grabbing a light cream colored tank top that he stretched over his massive muscles. Kisame looked in the mirror before nodding to himself and zipping hick pack back up, satisfied with how he looked. He opened the door slowly, quietly turning the knob, and stepped out into the considerably more warm room, setting his pack down. The shinobi stopped above Itachi, who was still making tiny noises that resembled snores but weren't, to grin. The Uchiha looked so peaceful when he wasn't awake. How funny. Kisame chuckled silently, turning to the bed and dropping his weight onto it as quietly as he could.

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_A/N: Sorry all, short chapter. Enjoy! Review!_


	3. Chapter 3: Their Exchange

**Chapter Three**  
**Their Exchange**

Kisame opened his eyes to a shimmering lake, dotted with the ripples from many fish hunting in the evening's light. He was standing on a dock, overlooking an expansive basin, opening a few hundred feet away where the water lapped hungrily into the river, leading away from the stagnate body of water. The water dropped a few inches at the mouth of the disfigured brook, where it twisted out of Kisame's limited eye sight. It hid behind a cape of typha before peeking out between the hard grasses, possibly a mile or so away. The water itself was, for the most part, clear, although it harbored more than its fair share of algae and microscopic creatures. Lily pads floated peacefully on the surface of the lake, inviting toads to rest their weary legs upon their waxy complexions. Kisame spotted a toad, relaxed but alert, housing itself upon an exceptionally large lily pad. It's yellowish-green eyes watched Kisame carefully, in case the blue-skinned man turned out to be a threat to the small amphibian. Kisame let a low chuckle escape his previously immobile lips, frightening the frog into action. With a plop, the toad was gone, swimming beneath the surface of the lake.

Kisame breathed in the scent of the lake. The musky scent sent chills up and down his thick spine, making him shiver with delight. It had been a long time since he had smelt that smell so intensely, so strong. The scent coaxed him closer to the edge of the dock, luring him toward the teal colored water. Kisame crouched once he reached the edge of the wooden dock. His standard Shinobi sandals squeaked against the planks, as if they were wet. The shark-man dropped his arm over his knee. His fingers brushed the tips of his toes, making him glance down. His black nail polish was beginning to flake pretty bad on his left foot's toes; Kisame made a mental note to re-paint them when he got back to the base. Nothing looked worse to the Leader then carelessness. Soon, though, the thought was swatted to the side as he dropped his hand into the water, first letting only his fingertips skim the surface. He watched the ripples skitter away from his fingers as if they would eat the waves in the water. Kisame smiled to the slightest degree, watching his hand make ripples in the water.

Kisame closed his eyes for a moment to listen to the sounds of the wilderness around him when he suddenly heard a shuffle coming from behind him. He turned, not alarmed at all for whatever reason, and found Itachi standing a few feet off from where Kisame crouched. He stood tall, a tight fishnet spanning the surface area of his torso and meeting the edge of his standard Shinobi pants. His red ring was worn on his right ring finger, per usual. His eyes were onyx, his Mangekyou Sharingan not activated. Kisame stood slowly and bowed his head once he reached his full height. He made eye contact as his head lifted back up; his stare was questioning. Itachi looked as if he had something to say. Kisame wiped his cold fingers on his pants, attempting to rid them of any excess water. He looked down to his left hand and examined his yellow ring. He kept his on his ring finger as well, but it meant something entirely different than Itachi's. Kisame's meant "south", while his partner's meant "scarlet". _Everything about him screams scarlet..._ Kisame thought half-heartedly.

"Kisame," The man standing across from him said, no question in his voice. It was almost commanding, and it made Kisame cock his head in confusion. Itachi took a step toward his partner; his arms were slack against his sides, the edges of his Akatsuki cloak billowing in the gentle wind that caressed their skin.

"Yes, Itachi-san?" Kisame spoke, watching the red and black fabric flowing around his partner's body. Itachi took another step closer, and soon was walking toward Kisame. When there was possibly two feet between the two men, the Uchiha stopped and straightened his back, looking into Kisame's eyes, which had been torn from the moving cloak. "What did you come for?" Kisame said, entirely confused at this point. He reached up and ran his right hand through his coarse, blue hair, slowing down at the feathery tips of his hair strands. He played with the edges before becoming awkward with it and dropping his hand back to his side.

"I came for..." Itachi took a step closer... _Looking like a fish out of water... Hah, I'm funny._ Kisame closed his eyes and laughed at his own lame sense of humor. When he opened his eyes again, Itachi was even closer. He opened his mouth and Kisame could smell mint on his breath; the fact that his partner was this close to him made Kisame slightly uncomfortable, but Kisame trusted the Uchiha. "I came for this." Itachi spoke, and reached up behind Kisame's head, pulling his face close to his own pale face. Before Kisame had even realized anything had happened, his lips were against Itachi's washed-out lips. The blue-skinned man's eyes were expanded to their capacity in his shock, but he did not pull away from the waxy man before him. Itachi's other hand, his left, reached up and ran across Kisame's forehead, back, pulling his headband off. His hair was against Itachi's fingers, with a few strands falling down to touch lightly on Kisame's face.

Kisame's eyes had closed somewhere during this exchange, and his own hands raised hesitantly. He touched his fingers against the small of his partner's back, testing his reaction. Itachi did not pull away from Kisame's touch, encouraging the taller man of the couple. He pressed his right hand firmly against Itachi's clothed back, his left hand awkwardly resting on Itachi's right hip. A clank comfirmed the stripping of Kisame's headband completely, although he could hardly hear the metallic noise over the ringing in his ears. Itachi's fingers were still crawling through Kisame's hair, making his scalp crawl with anticipation. Itachi's fingers lingered for a moment longer, then dropped to Kisame's hairline. He ran his first two fingers down the edge of the blue man's face, curving around the outer shell of his right ear when his fingers came to it. All of this was done with the utmost amount of tenderness, making Kisame physically shudder.

Kisame's hand had slowly began to grasp the excess of cloth on Itachi's back, pulling his partner closer to him. Their kiss had already begun to move, but now their tongues danced on the edges of each others' lips, making them both writhe in apprehension. Kisame's left hand had become less awkward and was now gripping Itachi's right hip firmly, making the raven-haired man twitch closer to Kisame. All hands were preoccupied by something, finding anything to tease or touch on the other. Kisame was the first one to allow entrance of Itachi's tongue, parting his lips enough to indicate to his lover what he wanted. As Itachi slowly, gently pushed his tongue into Kisame's mouth, he weaved his hands down and gripped Kisame's hip, likewise, in one hand and pulled him closer with the other. Their enchange was becoming rougher, lustful as the time was spent. Kisame let go of Itachi's hip for a moment to rub his growing erection, which was beginning to become sore from how hard it was.

Itachi suddenly let go of Kisame's body, even pulling his sweet mouth away from Kisame's. The taller man whined lowly in protest, but let his partner leave his body cold. Itachi looked into Kisame's eyes for a moment, a peculiar look in his onyx eyes. Kisame looked back with his equally ashen eyes, relatively emotionless, considering their previous activities. Itachi smiled the slightest smile - a type of smile you would only recognize if you knew the person you were studying - and slowly kneeled before Kisame. Before the shark man could protest anything, the Uchiha had yanked down his Shinobi pants and left him standing in his boxers. He let out a yelp in surprise and quickly covered the peep hole in his boxers, suddenly shy. Itachi grinned and grabbed Kisame's hands, guiding them away from his precious package. An obvious grin crossed Itachi's face, making Kisame even more uncomfortable. _Why is Itachi-san smiling? He never smiles. He.. h-..._ Kisame questioned, a thousand questions running through his head at once, each cutting another off. He still hadn't time to consider the exchange that had happened just a moment before.

The smile still plastered to his face, Itachi eased his fingers into the waistband of Kisame's black boxers and yanked them down to Kisame's knees.

* * *

Kisame woke up to his blanket being yanked down below his knees. The sun was bright in his tired, now tightly closed eyes. He sensed the presence of another, and after a moment of rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Kisame looked over his left shoulder and saw a slightly irritated Itachi standing above him, dressed and ready for the day ahead of them. Kisame couldn't tell if his eyes were really turning a dull shade of red or if it was just his tired eyes playing games on his mind. The second thing Kisame realized - Itachi hovering above him being the first - was that he had a raging boner from the dream he was having just moments before. His eyes subconsciously trailed down to look at the tent he was pitching. He looked to Itachi and grimaced when he realized Itachi had followed his gaze.

Itachi's eyes widened for a moment before retaining their original size. He quickly looked away from Kisame's crotch, though, blushing slightly from the sight of his partner's "problem". His eyes were averted from Kisame's as he turned and walked away from the edge of the bed.

"Get rid of that. We need to get moving," Itachi spoke softly, but not gently. He strode to the couch and began to pack all his items that were strewn about from the previous night. "We both slept in. I'm sure you enjoyed the.. extra sleep." Kisame couldn't see his partner's face but he could tell that Itachi was extremely uncomfortable with the situation. Kisame wasted no time in getting up and rushing to the bathroom to rid himself of his pesky erection. He darted around the edge of the door to the bathroom, and peaked his head out for a last look at his disgruntled partner. Slowly, Kisame popped his head back inside the bathroom and locked the door.

* * *

Click was the sound the door of the bathroom made as Kisame carefully jutted his head out the corner. Itachi was packed and ready to leave, standing near the window that overlooked the lake. _The lake..._ Kisame shook his head as he remembered parts of his dream from the night before. He stepped out of the bathroom and hastily went to pack his belongings. Itachi didn't turn around to address his partner, he only stood with his back to Kisame as the blue man hurriedly shoved things into his pack. Within minutes, Kisame was ready to leave.

"Itachi-san," Kisame said, a blush touching his cheeks as he spoke the name he was so familiar with, "I'm ready to leave." Itachi didn't turn around for a few moments, but when he did, all emotion was wiped clean of his face. Kisame couldn't expect anything less from the Uchiha - he was exceptionally good at wiping his face clear. It was something Kisame could respect the man for; Kisame had no poker face. His emotions laid as obvious as anything on his face. It didn't really bother him though - his emotions rarely changed enough for them to show on his face.

The two left Sujimoto, thanking the villagers politely, and resumed their journey to the Land of Fire. Kisame walked on Itachi's left and spoke sparsely, leaving the silence for his partner. Despite the obvious fact that Itachi liked the silence, Kisame couldn't say that he thought Itachi wanted to talk to him about anything right now. Kisame himself was over the embarrassment of what happened earlier, but he couldn't tell if Itachi was. Even so, the silence grew to an unbearable amount.

"So, Itachi-san, how did you sleep?" Kisame said in a chipper tone. Itachi turned to look at Kisame immediately after he spoke the words, but he did not respond. His eyes found their way back to the dirt road they were walking along. Kisame sighed, exasperated at the situation he was in right now. _This is going to be harder than I thought it would be... Ah, shit._

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_A/N: Got chapter three up for you all! Enjoy! Review!  
& check my profile, please. :)_


	4. Chapter 4: Their Predicament

**Chapter Four**  
**Their Predicament**

The walk to the Land of Fire was a boring one. Kisame had hoped to reach the border by the time the sun set, but he wasn't sure he was going to be so lucky. Itachi had kept silent the whole trek, making for an exceptionally awkward and boring mission. Kisame tried different subjects to get the Uchiha talking, at least in the least amount, but it never worked. Itachi gave one-word answers, or just didn't speak at all. Kisame was well aware of the raven-haired man and how he enjoyed his silence, but he was unusually quiet today. Kisame couldn't help but think it was because of his erection earlier that morning. _That couldn't have bothered Itachi-san that much. _Kisame assured himself; he didn't want to be the reason his partner was sulking.

Kisame accepted the fact that he was not going to get Itachi to converse with him, and so he dropped his head and watched the road as he walked along it. Every once in a while, a rock would come into view and Kisame would kick it until he accidentily kicked it off the road - but then he would just find another rock to kick. Some rocks were bigger than others and offered more amusement to the blue-skinned man, as childish as it seemed. Kisame toddered along quietly, almost as if he was a child who had gotten scolded by his teacher or parent. He found small things to amuse him until they got to the border - a wide blade of grass, a wood chip shaped like a fish (Kisame found this especially amusing), or a rock that reflected the sunlight - somehow finding them all on the road. He didn't stray far from the edge of the road. He didn't want to piss Itachi off anymore than he might have been.

Finally building up the guts to look ahead instead of at the ground, Kisame watched for any sign of assurance that they were even on the right path and going the right way. Itachi had been sure of it the day before, but he hadn't said anything recently. This made Kisame nervous - if he had to continue this mission for any longer than he had to, he'd probably go insane. After all, he was quite the loquacious guy... He enjoyed talking to others. He often made bets with the others at the hide-out, showing off how sociable he could be.

Spotting a suspiciously large rock possibly twenty feet up the road, Kisame took off at a trot, ignoring Samehada thumping roughly against his back. He turned his head back to glance at Itachi and saw that his eyes were closed as he walked - he hadn't seen Kisame take off. Shrugging, he closed the distance between himself and the rock. He kneeled down and touched the surface of the rock gently and recognized it as a marker. They were indeed, on the right track. The Land of Fire was up ahead. Kisame grinned to himself. He knew Itachi was right all along. _I didn't doubt him for a second._ The blue man purred to himself. He turned to where Itachi was walking along the road, his cloak billowing in the gentle wind. His eyes were open, so Kisame decided to reach his arm up and wave to his partner. He looked back down and continued to check out the object as he waited for Itachi to approach.

After a few minutes of no rapidly approaching footsteps, Kisame glanced up. Itachi was close, but he wasn't looking at Kisame. He was looking straight ahead, his onyx eyes seemingly fixated on something. Kisame cocked his head and furrowed his brow as he watched his raven-haired partner walk right past him, apparently without even seeing him. Kisame cleared his throat after Itachi had walked a fair amount of distance, frustrated. _Quit playing jokes on me Itachi!_ Kisame thought, irritated at this point. Itachi had no right to fuck with him like this after ignoring him for an entire day. Fortunately, Itachi heard Kisame clear his throat and whirled around.

"Kisame? Where are you?.. Quit fucking around, lets go. I already told you, we have to get goi-" Itachi started bitching, looking at Kisame. No.. he was looking _through_ Kisame, past him. Kisame frowned, unnerved by this.

"'Tachi..." Kisame said, his voice quivering. He stood and took several steps toward his partner. "You can't see me, can you?" Itachi stood still suddenly, his eyes straining to focus on Kisame. His face looked the tiniest bit scared for less than a second, but when Kisame blinked, the emotion was gone from the Uchiha's face.

"I can see you... my eyesight has... just ... hasn't been the best lately." Itachi said, still obviously struggling to see Kisame. _He's lying... He can't see me for shit._ Kisame bit his lip and looked at his partner with concern. Blood pooled in the pocket of his bottom lip, but he ignored it. _He's used his Mangekyou Sharingan too much. He's going blind._ The realization hit Kisame like a brick and made the large man shudder as if there was a chill in the air.

"You're lying Itachi, I can tell. You can't see me..." Kisame whispered, his voice shaking. "How bad is it? Tell me, Itachi. How bad has it gotten?" His voice had become firmer as he spoke, but it still vibrated in the warm, summer air. Itachi stood still, not denying Kisame's accusation. He lidded his eyes for a moment as if lost in thought. Kisame took a step closer, and Itachi must have heard it because he snapped his eyes back open. "Itac-" Kisame started to say when he was cut off by Itachi's cold voice.

"It's bad." That was all that Itachi said. He turned away from Kisame, possibly to hide his expression from his partner, and strode away. Kisame stood bewildered. How had this happened? Just not too long ago, Itachi could see fine. Now he couldn't see three feet in front of him. He hadn't even used his Mangekyou Sharingan in the past few days. This was the first mission they'd been on in a week or so. Kisame bowed his head, confused and scared for his partner. He lifted his head up despite his concern and jogged to catch up with Itachi. The man seem unnerved - the first thing Kisame did was examine his face for any emotion. He tried to do so sneakily, but failed miserably.

"Quit looking at me like that. I will live." Itachi mumbled, his voice as cold as ice. Nothing had changed between the two; Itachi still couldn't stand the thought of opening up to his partner, even about something like this. Kisame was concerned but didn't know how to address the situation without coming off as a creep.

"Itachi-san... what will you do? If you go blind, your Mangekyou Sharingan will forever be sealed away." Itachi didn't flinch at any of Kisame's words, but rather snorted. He didn't seem concerned at all - maybe the Uchiha had seen this coming for quite a while. After all, the Uchiha clan, or what used to be the Uchiha clan, inherited the Sharingan and knew of it's consequences and advantages. Kisame waited for a response but realized that Itachi was ignoring his question. Obviously, he had ran out of questions that Itachi would answer. The pale man was walking calmly, his arms at his sides. Kisame continued to watch him curiously. Itachi uttered a "Hn," and reached into his pack. He pulled out his straw hat and set in on his head, tilted forward so Kisame couldn't stare at him anymore. Kisame grunted in response and turned away.

"Anyway, I found a marker a while back. We're close to the border." Kisame said quietly, an offer for peace between the two before they had to get another room together. He didn't think he could handle a night with a pissed off Uchiha in the same room as himself. Unfortunately for Kisame, Itachi still did not answer but continued to walk.

"Why are you always mad at me..." Kisame sulked.

* * *

"We should skirt around the Valley of the End. It will only cause issues for the both of us." These were the first words Itachi spoke since he quit talking hours ago. They were just a mile or so away from the edge of the Land of Fire. The Valley of the End was formed shortly after the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha founded Konohagakure, and it spanned between the Land of Sound and the Land of Fire. Itachi was wise to suggest skirting around it. Kisame nodded in agreement but didn't speak a word. He was tired from walking in the heat - the Land of Fire was named so due to it's warm weather and its base element - and wanted to find a room as quickly as possible to house in. His face showed his irritation and exhaustion, so when Itachi glanced at him, waiting for an answer, he discovered everything Kisame was feeling at that very moment.

"Let's find a room to stay in for the night, Kisame. You're tired and sweaty. I'm sure you would enjoy a shower..."

* * *

_A/N: How did you all like this chapter? Dramaaa. Review, please. (:  
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